Protective cover



April 18, 1967 R. VElLLEUX PROTECTIVE COVER Filed Sept. 25, 1964 I N VENTOR.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,314,464 PROTECTIVE COVER Roger L.Veilleux, 36 Sisson Ave., Hartford, Conn. 06106 Filed Sept. 25, 1964,Ser. No. 399,199 1 Claim. (Cl. 150-52 This invention relates to new anduseful improvements in protective covers and more particularly toprotective covers of the kind which are especially suitable forenclosing, protecting and carrying books and the like.

The present invention is strong, durable, adjustable to large or smallbooks and will accommodate varying numbers of volumes. Additionally, theprotective cover of the present invention is moisture and weatherresistant and may be embodied in transparent plastic material tofacilitate identification of the volumes contained within.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a strong, adjustableprotective cover which may be embodied in a simple and inexpensivearticle of manufacture.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a protective coverwhich is readily adjustable to accommodate varying members and sizes ofbooks and similar articles.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a protectivecover which encloses articles in a neat and compact package for carryingabout.

These and other objects, features, and advantages of the presentinvention may be better understood from the description of a typicalembodiment as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in Which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present inventionenclosing three books of different sizes and shapes;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view of the protective cover of FIGURE 1taken through section 2-2 and showing the manner in which snap fastenersare employed as an adjustable closure means; and,

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of an embodiment of the protective cover of thepresent invention,

The objects of the present invention require a concept Which is capableof being executed in embodiments which are extremely simple inconstruction, economical in use of materials, and are capable offabrication in minimum time by the use of conventional tooling andmachinery.

Thus the present invention is comprised of no more than three pieces offlexible sheet material, preferably transparent synthetic plastic, and aplurality of co-acting fastening or closure means. The three pieces ofsheet material comprise a generally rectangular base portion having twoopposed flaps extending therefrom and being unitary with the baseportion. The second and third pieces of sheet material form a secondpair of flaps affixed to parallel margins of the base portion. Ifdesired, for extra strength and durability the base portion and fourflaps may be a single piece of sheet material such as a suitable gaugeof polyvinyl chloride-acetate copolymer, for instance. In either caseone flap is fitted with a first pair of fastening means, such as snapfasteners, one at each of its outer corners, and an opposing flap isfitted with -a plurality of second fastening means adapted to removablyfasten with the first fastening means and positioned at spaced intervalsin paired alignment with the first pair of fastening means to afford thedesired degree of adjustability in accordance with the size and shape ofarticles which the protective cover encloses.

Among the materials which may be advantageously employed for the body ofthe protective cover of the present invention are polyethylene,polypropylene, polystyrene, polycarbonates, and polyvinylacetate-chloride copolymer. Thicknesses of 4-20 mils may besatisfactory, depending upon the strength and flexibility of the sheetmaterial selected. Polyvinyl chloride-acetate copolymer of about 7-15mils thickness has been found to be particularly advantageous from thestandpoints of cost, transparency, and durabiilty.

Feferring now to FIGURE 1, an embodiment of the protective cover of thepresent invention is shown generally at 10 in perspective view andfabricated of transparent material showing the books 11, 12 and 13enclosed within. Flaps 14 and 15 extend from the base portion 16 and arefabricated of a single piece of sheet material extending from the outeredge of one flap, to the base portion, and to the outer edge of theopposed flap. A second pair of opposed flaps 17 and 18 are affixedsuitably to the remaining parallel margins of the rectangular baseportion 16, in this embodiment by stitching the flaps to the base. Afirst pair of fastening means 19a and 1% are aflixed at the outercorners of the unitary flap 14 and a plurality of removably co-actingsnap fastening means are affixed to the second unitary flap in paired,spaced intervals as shown at 20a and 20b, 21a and 21b, 22a and 22b, 23aand 23b and 24a and 24b.

FIGURE 2 illustrates the adjustable manner in which the unitary flaps 14and 15 together with the co-acting fastening means affixed to thoseflaps enclose and contain the books within the protective cover in asung, compact, weather and moisture resistant enclosure. It will beapparent to those skilled in the art that the present inventionillustrated in the embodiment of FIGURES 1 and 2 is readily adaptable toenclose a lesser number of books or articles as well as a number ofsmaller books or articles and-protect such smaller groupings with equaleffectiveness.

The plan view of FIGURE 3 shows clearly how the unitary flaps 14 and 15are fabricated from a single piece of sheet material including the baseportion 16. This construction provides considerable strength and thesecond pair of flaps 17 and 18 may be provided from suitable lengths ofthe same width of material for an inexpensive article of manufacture.The second pair of flaps 17 and 18 may be affixed to the base portion 16by thermal bonding, cementing or stitching such as shown in FIGURES 1, 2and 3. Preferably each of the flaps 14 and 15 extend outwardly from thebase portion 16 not less than the dimension between the two parallelmargins of the base portion to which the flaps 14 and 15 are aflixed.Similarly, it is preferred that the flaps 17 and 18 each extendoutwardly from the base portion 16 not less than the dimension betweenthe two parallel margins of the base portion to which they are aflixed.

As can be most clearly seen from FIGURE 3, the stitching 25 whichattaches the flaps 17 and 18 to the base portion 16 at opposite parallelmargins, is carried around the entire outer periphery of the unitaryflaps 14 and 15 as well, to lend added strength to the protective cover10. Preferably the flaps 17 and 18 are affixed to the base portion 16 sothat the flaps 17 and 18 face inwardly as best seen in the perspectiveview of FIGURE 1. The inwardly facing flaps joined and affixed to thebase portion form a corner-like configuration which prevents the weightof books and the like from inadvertently unfolding the flaps andallowing the contents to slip out.

When the cover 10 is not in use, the inwardly facing flaps 17 and 18 maybe positioned to lie flat on the base portion 16 since they normallyextend inwardly and lie flap against the base portion 16, thuspermitting the cover 10 to be conveniently folded into a neat packagewithout protruding end portions. In addition, the inwardly folding flaps17 and 18 provide a connection to the base portion 16 that is notreadily torn by repeated folding of the flaps as it is not necessary tofold the flaps 17 and 18 through 180 degrees in order to have theseflaps flat against the base portion 16.

Alternatively the present invention may be embodied in a single sheet ofmaterial having all the four flaps unitary with the base portion. Thoughsuch an embodiment has added strength and durability, it cannot bemanufactured as inexpensively as the embodiment shown in theillustrative drawings.

Those knowledgeable in the art Will appreciate that the presentinvention offers the advantages of being capa ble of embodiment indurable inexpensive forms which are adaptable to a variety of size andshape requirements in protecting articles such as books and the likefrom weather and undue wear as Well as providing a neat, cornpactenclosure which facilitates carrying such groups of articles.

Since many changes could be made in the described construction and manyapparently widely different embodiments of the invention could be madewithout departing from the scope or spirit of its concept, it isintended that all matter contained in the foregoing description or theaccompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

An adjustable protective cover of flexible synthetic plastic sheetmaterial comprising a generally rectangular base portion defined bylength and Width dimensions, a first pair of opposed flaps integrallyformed With said rectangular base portion and extending from twoparallel margins of said base portion in overlapping relationship, and asecond pair of opposed flaps lying upon said base portion in flattened,substantially planar disposition in the empty condition of said cover soas to extend inwardly of said base portion in substantially planar,parallel relationship thereto, said second pair of opposed flaps in saidempty condition having their inner edge portions overlapping and theirouter edges closely adjacent said remaining parallel margins, saidsecond pair of flaps being separately formed from said base portion andmeans spaced from but closely adjacent to said outer edges aflixing saidsecond pair of flaps to said base portion, said second pair of flapsextending directly inwardly in planar relationship from the area ofaffixation in the closed condition of said cover, a first pair offastening means afiixed to the inside of one of said first pair of flapsadjacent the free edge thereof, and a plurality of second fasteningmeans removably engageable with said first fastening means affixed atspaced intervals along the side margins of said first pair of flaps inpaired alignment with said first fastening means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,172,204 2/1916Gerhardstein 150-52 2,353,932 7/1944 Schaffer 150-52 2,436,237 2/1948Brandt 15052 2,650,444 9/1963 Coyle et a1. 15039 JOSEPH R. LECLAIR,Primary Examiner.

